Super 7: The Best Italian Restaurants in Miami
For your penna alla vodka photographing pleasure....
Via Emilia 9
Italians will never admit any food outside their homeland is even respectable. But you might get a quiet, raised eyebrow and a “not bad” if you take one to Via Emelia 9. The menu comes from the Emilia Romana region of Italy, which Italians will tell you has the best food in the country. Pair a tortellini en brood with a nice Lambrusco for a real taste of the region. And make sure to start out with the signature affetatti Emiliani gnocco fritti, which features fresh-off-the-wheel parmesan, made in Parma.
Pro tip: Peruse the market next door and you’ll find the same ingredients used in your food. Your cooking results may vary.
@via_emilia9 // 11120 15th St., South Beach
Sparrow Italia
Somewhere along the line, ‘90s-era hip-hop replaced Frank Sinatra as the official soundtrack to Italian restaurants. The Clinton-era bangers sound especially appropriate inside Sparrow Italia, whose curved ceiling and sunken dining room bring to mind an old art deco train station. The B.I.G. Meatball keeps with the musical theme, but the A5 Wagyu Pizza might be the most worth-the-calories Italian dish in Miami.
Pro tip: Head to the bar and get Sparrow’s pizza slices. They’re only available there and the chicken and vodka sauce one is addictive.
@sparrowitalia // 255 NW 25th St., Wynwood
Macchialina
When a new, “Don’t you know who we are in New York?” Italian restaurant opens up, the standard it’s held against is Macchialina. Because if an Italian spot’s not better than this Alton Road stalwart, it’s not worth a local’s time. The fresh pastas and savory meat dishes Michael Pirolo puts out rarely fail to satisfy. And in Macchilina’s new, larger space you don’t have to wait as long for a table either.
Pro tip: Keep tabs on their social media and find out when Pirolo is making his special Big Macch burger. He only makes so many, so reserve one when you book your table.
@macchialina // 820 Alton Road, South Beach
Anthony’s Runway 84
Yes, Comment Mafia, I’m well aware Anthony’s is in Ft. Lauderdale. But for the love of God, stop acting like Broward County is in Alaska. The 30-minute drive is quicker than driving to Coral Gables some days, and is absolutely worth it for this icon of Italian-American dining. Live lounge singers, questionable characters in expensive suits, and a staff that’s been there for ages are only part of why Runway’s been around so long. The food is also first-rate, and mainstays like the Veal Chop Danielle and Chicken Vodka Parm have become traditions for many a South Florida family.
Pro tip: In-season reservations can be hard to come by, so snag a seat at the bar. The people watching is next-level, and the menu’s exactly the same.
@runway84 // 330 W State Road 84, Ft. Lauderdale
Soya e Pomodoro
Soya e Pomodoro proves you don’t need to spend the Marlins’ entire payroll on a restaurant buildout to be great. Sometimes all you need is some mismatched vintage furniture and a narrow, downtown edifice to create a date-night classic. There’s something beautifully understated about Soya e Pomodoro, the kind if place you’d expect a cocker spaniel and a mutt to be slurping noodles together in the back alley. The food is a long lineup of Italian classics you know, and while it’s not making any “foodie” lists, it’s the pinnacle of romantic Italian restaurant.
Pro tip: Check the website and see when they’ll have live jazz. It ups the romance by a factor of 10.
@soyaepomodoro // 120 NE 1st St., Downtown
Doma
Doma has quietly maintained as one of the most popular Italian restaurants in Miami for nearly seven years. Its formula isn’t courting awards or celebrity guests, but rather a simple, sleek décor and lush back patio that are simultaneously understated and chic. The menu puts small twists on dishes you know, enough that you’ll see something like the black truffle crusted filet mignon or the gnocchi with porcini and prawns and say, “Wow, I haven’t seen that before.” In a city where trendy Italian restaurants are as interchangeable as bald men with boats, it gives Doma a leg up.
Pro tip: The Friday lunch is a phenomenal deal at $35 for three courses. The ensuing food coma pretty much ensures it’s also the end of your work week.
@domamiami // 35 NE 26th St., Wynwood
Luca Osteria
Much like the city he comes from, nothing Miami native Giorgio Rapicavoli does is subtle. But if you like flavors that are as in-your-face as Michael Irvin at a Canes game, Luca Osteria is the Italian restaurant for you. Giorgio’s bold variations like yellowfin tuna caprese (Cheese and fish?? E una vergogna!) bring flavors you never knew belonged together. And his classics like cacio e pepe and short rib Bolognese are far more rich and complex than their competitors.
Pro tip: While the main courses are great, sharing a ton of apps here is the move so you can try as many of Giorgio’s inventive little dishes as you can.
@lucaosteria // 116 Giralda Ave., Coral Gables